Pneumatised!

MM,

The winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year and called Yule for most pagans and Wiccans, has come and gone. Usually about this time, I spend time to myself and tend to be a bit “hermity”. Hence, the lack of blog posts for two weeks! Plus, I needed to de-stress myself. According to my horoscope, I have a transit that suggests I need time to meditate in the next few months. It’s a funny coincidence because I’ve been wanting to find a Buddhist temple or center where I can go just to meditate whenever. Strange too how things tend to return full circle. I think I’ve always been Buddhist just like I’ve always been a pagan. I guess if I really have to put a label on it, I’m a Buddhist Wiccan. :S

Since last I wrote, I did a pre-Yule ritual for my coven, and I finally made it out to the women’s group again. The ritual for the women’s group was an anniversary ritual for Tamarra and Richard James, HPS and HP of WCC. They have been married for thirty years and handfasted for ten. We did a small ritual similar to the handfasting ritual where we all put our blessings for them on ribbons and then tied their hands together with them. It was quite a lovely ritual.

Public ritual on the 17th was an Egyptian style Yule ritual. It was a ritual play where Hathor leaves Ra, and Ra sends Thoth to find her and bring her back. Ra, being the Egyptian sun god is a little depressed about her leaving, and the sun disappears. The ritual symbolically represented the sun disappearing during this time of year, and we lit candles to encourage Hathor to return to Ra, thereby encouraging the sun to return.

The week of winter solstice, I spent hibernating and trying to de-stress myself. Somehow I managed to get a little sick. I probably should have gotten some exercise, but as I mentioned I tend to hibernate around this time of year – at least until the days get brighter and longer again. It’s just pretty hard to be motivated when the sunlight is hardly out and it’s dark out for most of the day. I’m glad it’s almost January. Cold it may be, but dark it isn’t quite so much. I can deal with the cold, but I just need the sun.

Public ritual on the 24th was the Rite of Mithras. Mithras is a Persian sun god who was born on December 25th. The Rite of Mithras is a ritual play that depicts his myth. For more information on Mithras, see “Mithras and Mithraism”.

Christmas day was stressful. I had to go to my mom’s place. Although I don’t mind visiting my mother, my sister, and my nephews for Christmas, I’m not particularly fond of visiting with my brother-in-law and my brother. My other two sisters are annoyed with our brother-in-law and didn’t show up this year for Christmas. My brother is generally unsocial (him and I don’t get along), and he just hides in the basement with his dinner.

After dinner at my mom’s we headed to Tamarra’s place for her “Orphan Night Dinner”. Although as pagans/Wiccans, we don’t celebrate Christmas, she realizes that Christmas is a hard time for some people. Thus, she has a free dinner set up on Christmas for those who don’t have family (and also for those who may wish to avoid family at that time).

Such was my holiday season so far. New Year’s eve is a Sunday, and being Summoner I have to be at public ritual on Sunday. We are having a pig roast for the ritual, which should be interesting. The ritual is based on the Compitalia from Roman religion. Afterwards, we will be bringing in the New Year with fireworks at a private location.

To conclude this blog entry, I’ll end with a little tidbit. January is named for the Roman god, Janus, who is a god of gateways, doorways, and looking forwards and backwards simultaneously. This may be perhaps one reason why January 1st is the New Year in the Gregorian calendar. At this time, the god Janus gives us time to reflect on the past and to look forward to the future. Blessings to Janus!

MP,
Cassandrah
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